The Politics of Victimization

Victims, Victimology, and Human Rights

Robert Elias

Considering victimology as a reflection of the structure of American society, Elias examines its links to the broad arenas of social, political and economic relations and advocates a new victimology of human rights that embraces victims of both crime and oppression.

The Politics of Victimization

Victims, Victimology, and Human Rights

Robert Elias

Description

This useful text provides a comprehensive introductory overview of the study of victims and victimization. Victimization is here considered as a reflection of American society. Taking a broad perspective, Elias argues that the study of victimology requires more than merely analyzing criminal justice; it requires linking it to much wider social, political and economic relations--especially to the American political economy. This study rejects the official definition of crime and victimization and establishes a relationship between victimology and human rights, thus advocating a "new" victimology which embraces victims of both crime and repression. Elias proposes that since much crime arises in response to various forms of oppression, a society unconcerned with
human rights violations and its victims can likewise provide little help for crime victims.